Super Bowl LX featuring the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots has plenty of on-field storylines. But already making headlines off the field is the amount of commercials using artificial intelligence for production and storytelling.
As the revolutionary technology impacts everyday life, consumers are already seeing the effects of AI leading up to the Super Bowl. Brands have begun to create a hybrid model where AI is a collaborator in the creative and production process – from script development and director’s treatments to visual effects and animation.
While several ads have already been unveiled on social media leading up to the Super Bowl, much of the consumer reaction is based on what will air Sunday on NBC and Peacock before, during and after the game. The public response, which is expected to be varied across demographics, could be an early indicator of how consumers are embracing the AI-dominant creative process in commercials.
Brian Parker is an associate teaching professor for professional communication at Florida State University Panama City. His research is focused on consumer behavior, brand equity and image, advertisement strategy and response. Parker has extensive field experience as a consumer and market researcher, having consulted as an analyst on projects for companies including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Celebrex, Miller Beer, Budweiser, Nescafé and Florida Power & Light.
Parker believes AI’s heavy influence in advertising represents a new frontier.
“Consumer behavior is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing from psychology, sociology and economics,” Parker said. “From this perspective, AI is poised to change how consumers engage with Super Bowl advertising in both exciting and cautionary ways, with effects that vary across psychological tendencies, cultural context and generational differences.”
For more analysis on consumer behavior and reaction toward Super Bowl commercials, media may reach out to Associate Teaching Professor Brian Parker via email at bparker@fsu.edu.
Brian Parker, associate teaching professor, Florida State University Panama City
This year’s Super Bowl commercials are expected to see an enormous breakthrough in AI development, from production to accelerated ideation. What kind of impact do you expect this to have on consumer behavior toward these ads?
From a psychological standpoint, AI will likely increase attention and novelty in the short term. AI-driven visuals, hyper-personalized storytelling and rapid creative iteration can produce ads that feel surprising, emotionally resonant and highly tailored. However, consumers are also becoming increasingly persuasion-savvy. When an ad feels overly synthetic or manipulative, audiences may disengage or question its authenticity. In this environment, trust becomes just as important as creativity.
Advertising, after all, operates in the interruption business. If brands fail to interrupt with something relevant, entertaining or meaningful, they simply become part of the clutter competing for attention. AI may help brands break through that clutter, but only if it enhances, rather than replaces, human insight.
Culturally, AI signals a broader shift in which technology is no longer operating behind the scenes but becoming part of the narrative itself. For some audiences, AI-enabled ads will represent innovation and progress. For others, particularly amid concerns about job displacement and ethics, they may trigger skepticism or backlash. Brands that acknowledge AI transparently and use it as a tool rather than a gimmick are more likely to resonate.
From a sociological angle, the Super Bowl functions as a shared, communal ritual. AI will likely amplify this collective experience by accelerating meme creation, social sharing and second-screen engagement. Ads may be designed not simply to be watched, but to be remixed, discussed and debated in real time. Given the influence of social media and creators in shaping culture, this may be the most immediate short-term impact of AI-generated advertising.
Are there any AI commercials that have already been released or will be released on Super Bowl Sunday that you feel could reflect the technology’s enormous impact?
Even before kickoff, several AI-driven Super Bowl commercials have already generated significant buzz, signaling just how deeply artificial intelligence is shaping the advertising landscape. Early releases, teasers and online conversations show that AI is not simply influencing what happens during the game, but also how audiences anticipate and talk about ads in the days leading up to it.
One of the clearest examples is Svedka Vodka, which released a spot that relies heavily on generative AI for its visuals, choreography and character animation. In this case, AI is not just a behind-the-scenes production tool but part of the creative identity of the ad itself. By placing machine-assisted creativity front and center, the brand invites viewers to react directly to the aesthetic and emotional feel of AI-generated content. The mixed reactions it has sparked, with some viewers finding it innovative and others finding it artificial or uncanny, highlight the ongoing tension between novelty and authenticity.
At the same time, major technology companies such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft are using Super Bowl advertising to position AI as an everyday, consumer-friendly tool. Rather than focusing purely on spectacle, these campaigns emphasize normalization by showing AI integrated into daily life, work and creative tasks. This reflects a broader shift from presenting AI as futuristic to presenting it as practical and accessible. From a consumer behavior perspective, these commercials function as more than product promotions. They also serve as cultural signals that shape how people feel about AI itself.
Ultimately, these early examples demonstrate that AI is already influencing both the creative process and the narrative content of advertising. Its impact is not theoretical or future focused. It is happening now and reshaping how brands capture attention, build relationships and connect emotionally with consumers.